Racism, Equality and Civil Liberties in a Multicultural Australia

Abstract

Modern Australia began as a European settlement in a land inhabited by Indigenous people. The history of settlement was not always peaceful. The clash at the frontier between the Indigenous population and European settlers was often cruel, hateful and has had long lasting consequences. Other areas of conflict developed along ethnic and religious lines including between the Protestant English and Catholic Irish. It should also be noted that the racist “White Australia” policy remained unchallenged wisdom, adhered to by the vast majority until the late 1950s. Although European settlement espoused reasonably egalitarian principles (which initially did not include Indigenous Australians), the Australian Constitution was drafted without the inclusion of a bill of rights. Following mass post-WWII migration, today’s Australia is a well-functioning, multicultural society with well over 200 languages spoken at home. Chinese, Indian and Muslim settlers are amongst the largest communities. Governments are committed to multicultural policies which focus on equality and anti-racism measures, even if they are to the detriment of civil liberties such as a freedom of speech or expression. The purpose of this chapter is to look at the universality principle in the context of Australian historical development. The chapter will analyse if, and if so how, such local factors impacted on the human rights education system in Australia. This chapter will also examine the linkages between the historical background and modern culture of human rights in Australia and in particular the evolution of the egalitarian concept of a “fair go”. It will also critique the nature of contemporary human rights education in Australia and its contribution to advancing equality and civil liberties.

Paper based on an address delivered at the 5th International Conference on Human Rights Education, “Advancing UNiversal Human Rights Culture”, Washington DC, 4–6 December 2014